For example, among women in the study with a high genetic risk
for obesity, those who ate fried food four times a week had an
average BMI that was 1 point higher compared to those who ate
fried food less than once a week. That point amounts to about 6
pounds (2.7 kilograms) for a 5-foot-3 inch (1.5 meters) person.
In contrast, among women with a lower genetic risk for obesity,
those who ate fried food frequently had a BMI that was just 0.5
points higher than those who rarely ate fried food. [ 7
Foods Your Heart Will Hate ]

The results suggest that some genes may "amplify the adverse
effects of fried food consumption on body weight," said study
researcher Lu Qi, an assistant professor in the Department of
Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health.

The findings underscore the importance of eating less fried foods
to prevent obesity, particularly for people who are genetically
predisposed to weight gain, the researchers said.

Previous studies have shown
eating fried food increases people's risk of obesity.
However, these studies did not look at how this risk might vary
depending on a person's genes.

In the new study, researchers analyzed information from more than
37,000 men and women who took part in three large studies in the
1980s and 1990s. Every four years, participants answered
questions about their food and beverage intake.

The subjects also had their genomes analyzed for the presence of
any of 32 genetic markers linked to obesity. Each person received
a score — based on the number and type of genetic markers the
individual had — that reflected the subject's genetic
predisposition to obesity, or an obesity risk score.

Not surprisingly, those who ate fried food more frequently tended
to have higher BMIs than those who ate fried food less often. But
this link was strongest among those with the highest obesity-risk
scores.

The people with the highest obesity-risk scores and also the most
fried food consumption had the highest BMIs overall.

Fried food all right for some?

The findings held even after the researchers took into account
other lifestyle factors that might affect obesity risk, such as
consumption of soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages,
and how much time people spent watching TV or exercising.

Still, the researchers noted that the study found only an
association, and cannot prove that fried food causes obesity
among people with certain genes. It's possible that other
unhealthy habits not taken into account in the study were
responsible for the link.

The findings do not mean that people with a low genetic risk for
obesity can overindulge in fried food, Qi said. He noted that, in
the study, frequent consumption of fried food was tied to an
increased risk of obesity, even for people with a low genetic
risk of obesity.

In addition, fried food consumption is linked with other adverse
health effects, such as an increased risk of cardiovascular
disease, Qi said.

The findings support recommendations that encourage healthy
eating for everyone, Qi said. In the future, it may be possible
to tailor diet recommendations for people based on their genes,
he said.